İmam bayıldı
imam bayıldı
Eggplant collapsed in olive oil, onion and tomato — the imam fainted, allegedly, and there is no meat in the pot.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: imam bayıldı.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price

About
İmam bayıldı is whole or halved eggplant simmered or baked with a lot of onion, garlic, tomato and olive oil until it is silky. It is served at room temperature. The imported version with lamb and tzatziki is a different plate that borrowed the name.
What you'll need
8 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Halve eggplants, salt, brown in some of the oil. Soften onion and garlic in the rest, add tomato, sugar, salt.
20 min
Step 2
Nest eggplants in the onion, spoon the sauce over, add a splash of water. Cover and bake or simmer 35 minutes. Parsley. Cool.
35 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 25.9 g
- Fat
- 23.2 g
- Saturated fat
- 3.2 g
- Fibre
- 8.6 g
- Sugar
- 13.7 g
- Sodium
- 498 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Sugar → Skip it
Some pots are only savoury.
Tips
- It is an olive-oil dish. Do not be shy.
- Room temperature, not hot from the oven, is the usual.
History & culture
Olive-oil dishes (zeytinyağlı) of the Aegean and a mezze. Better the next day.
The fainted-imam story is folklore. The dish is Ottoman-Aegean vegetable cookery.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does İmam bayıldı take?
1 hr 10 min all in — 20 min prep, 50 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
How much sugar?
1 tsp (optional) of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Sugar → Skip it. Some pots are only savoury.
Any tips from this recipe?
It is an olive-oil dish. Do not be shy. Room temperature, not hot from the oven, is the usual.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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